Darryl Jones was born on the south side of Chicago into a musical family. His father, a drummer, taught him drums and xylophone. When Jones saw a neighbor playing bass in a school talent show, he switched to bass. He immediately began studying, and within a year played his first gig, along with his brother on guitar, at their elementary school. After completing the challenging music program at Chicago Vocational High School at 17, and with the support of caring parents who instilled a strong work ethic, Jones gained entry to the Chicago music scene playing alongside Vincent Wilburn, Jr., Matthew Rose, and Perry Wilson. He attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

He played gigs around Chicago with the likes of Ghallib Ghallab, Otis Clay, Ken Chaney, and Phil Upchurch. At 21, with the help of his longtime friend Vincent Wilburn Jr., the nephew of Miles Davis, Jones landed a life-changing gig with the legendary jazz icon, with whom he would play over the next five years. He can be heard on Decoy (1984) and You're Under Arrest (1985), and several live concert albums.